Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) is in the Hawks, Eagles, and Kites family (Accipitridae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 46,755 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: winter visitor. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Northern Harrier: observations by month (U.S.)
About Northern Harrier
The northern harrier or marsh hawk (Circus hudsonius or Circus cyaneus hudsonius) is a bird of prey.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Northern Harrier by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 15,695 | January | Sep–May |
| Texas | 5,072 | December | Oct–Apr |
| Oregon | 2,304 | January | Dec–Nov |
| Washington | 2,130 | January | Sep–May |
| Florida | 1,976 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Utah | 1,362 | February | Sep–May |
| Massachusetts | 1,178 | January | Aug–Apr |
| New York | 1,066 | January | Sep–Apr |
| Colorado | 1,033 | January | Sep–Apr |
| Arizona | 907 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Idaho | 859 | March | Dec–May |
| New Jersey | 798 | October | Sep–Mar |
| Maryland | 759 | February | Sep–May |
| New Mexico | 756 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Ohio | 734 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Nevada | 702 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Illinois | 661 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Delaware | 650 | December | Sep–Apr |
| Pennsylvania | 586 | December | Sep–Apr |
| Minnesota | 526 | April | Mar–May |
| Virginia | 500 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Vermont | 497 | April | Mar–May |
| Wisconsin | 464 | April | Mar–Jun |
| Tennessee | 447 | November | Oct–Mar |
| North Carolina | 382 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Michigan | 373 | April | Aug–May |
| Montana | 359 | May | Apr–Oct |
| Oklahoma | 355 | January | Oct–Apr |
| Connecticut | 334 | October | Sep–Mar |
| Louisiana | 331 | December | Oct–Mar |
| Kansas | 286 | November | Sep–Apr |
| Missouri | 275 | November | Oct–Mar |
| Wyoming | 250 | September | Apr–Oct |
| South Carolina | 215 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Alaska | 201 | May | Apr–Jun |
| Maine | 193 | September | Aug–Nov |
| Alabama | 184 | January | Oct–Mar |
| South Dakota | 179 | April | Apr–May |
| Indiana | 173 | January | Oct–Mar |
| Nebraska | 136 | March | Sep–Apr |
| Arkansas | 126 | January | Oct–Apr |
| North Dakota | 120 | April | Apr–Sep |
| Mississippi | 119 | November | Oct–Feb |
| Iowa | 114 | October | Oct–Apr |
| Georgia | 112 | December | Sep–Mar |
| Kentucky | 93 | February | Nov–Feb |
| Rhode Island | 81 | December | Sep–Mar |
| New Hampshire | 59 | September | Sep–Oct |
| West Virginia | 36 | January | Sep–Mar |
| District of Columbia | 5 | November | Sep–Nov |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related birds (Hawks, Eagles, and Kites)
Red-tailed Hawk
Bald Eagle
Red-shouldered Hawk
Cooper's Hawk
Mississippi Kite
Swainson's Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Photography tips
- Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
- Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
- Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
- Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northern Harrier?
Nationally, January has the most observations, with the main season from September to April.
Where is Northern Harrier most often seen?
The most observations come from California, Texas, Oregon.